Llanwern charity golf day plans to smash last year’s total

A Newport retail services firm will once again host a prestigious charity golf tournament, aiming to raise over £10,000 for a national cancer charity.

Retail Merchandising Services (RMS) will host the John O’Toole Memorial Cup, which will take place at Llanwern Golf Club on Friday the 8th August, in order to raise money for Bowel Cancer UK.

Established over 25 years ago, Bowel Cancer UK is a national charity dedicated to improving the quality of life for all those affected by bowel cancer. Every year over 40,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with bowel cancer and over 15,000 people die of the disease, which has one of the lowest survival rates in Europe.

To help combat the effects of the cancer, RMS will again host the John O’Toole Cup, which will feature a variety of golfing competitions to aid fundraising.

Last year, winners’ prizes included £200 from Glamorgan telecom, a free photo shoot from Gabriel Cars and a 21-inch television. The event raised £12,000, which the RMS team hopes to beat in August.

This year will feature an individual and team 18-hole Stableford competition, where unlike traditional scoring methods – in which the aim is to have the lowest score – the objective will be to score the most by playing the most shots. There will also be a longest drive competition on the 16th hole and nearest the pin on 11th and 18th hole.

The entry fee, which also includes a delicious breakfast and an afternoon hog roast, is £160 for a team of four or £40 for individuals. The evening will then consist of award presentations, a silent auction, a raffle and other entertainment.

Peter O’Toole, CEO of Retail Merchandising Services, lost his father three years ago to Bowel Cancer and is committed to raising as much money as possible on the day.

He said: “We raised £12,000 last year, which was a fantastic amount but this year I want to beat it. Bowel Cancer UK is a charity close to my heart after losing my father to this cruel disease. The charity works tirelessly to raise awareness of the symptoms of bowel cancer, so that those affected are aware of the problems at an early stage, in order to save lives.”

Head of Community and Events for Bowel Cancer UK, Dani Freedland, said

“Without people like Peter doing amazing fundraising events like this, Bowel Cancer UK couldn’t continue to do the vital work it does, to save lives and improve the quality of life for all those affected by bowel cancer.

“We would like to say an enormous thank you to Peter and the rest of the team at Retail Merchandising Services for organising a golf day on our behalf, their support is greatly appreciated.”